The Partholonians were said to have landed
in Ireland at Beltaine, and they lived in Ireland for
three hundred years, battling with the Fomhóire. The
whole race of the Partholonians were mysteriously wiped
out by a plague, except for Tuan mac Carell who underwent
many different incarnations and thus lived to preserve
the history of his people.

The Nemedians were the next race of people
to arrive in Ireland after the Partholonians disappeared,
according to the Lebor Gabála, the Book of Invasion.
According to legend, 2,000 Nemedians died from plague and
the rest were forced to leave after the Fomhóire had
inflicted a great defeat on them.

Fomhóire means 'from the sea' and is the
name given to the devine powers, or gods of night, death
and cold. The Fomhóire were misshapen and were believed
to have the heads of goats and bulls. They also were
believed to have only one leg and one arm each, and these
grew out of the middle of their chests.

The Fomhóire were the ancestors of the
evil faeries and, according to one gaelic writer, of all
misshapen persons. The giants and leprecauns are also
said to belong to the Fomhóire.

The 'Men of the Bags', also known as the
men of the Goddess Domnu. They worhiped the Fomhóire as
their gods, and they were defeated by the Tuatha Dé
Danann in the first battle of Magh Tuireadh or Moytura.

Tuatha Dé Danann means 'the race of the
gods of Danu', (Danu was the mother of all the ancient
gods of Ireland.) They were the powers of light and life
and warmth, and battled with the Fomhóire who were known
as the powers of night and death.

According to the Lebor Gabála, the book of
invasion, the Tuatha Dé Danann came to Ireland in
obscure clouds, landing on a mountain in the west. From
the same book we learn that these gods were, among other
things, capable of causing an eclipse which would last
for three days. They came from the northern isles of the
world, learning lore, magic craft and wizardry, until
they surpassed the even greatest sages in the pagan arts.

There were four cities in which the Tuatha
Dé Danann studied lore and science and diabolic arts -
Falias, Gorias, Murias and Findias. Out of Falias was
brought the Stone of Destiny, or Lia Fáil which was in
Tara. It used to cry out whenever a 'true' Irish king was
crowned at Tara.

Out of Gorias was brought Lugh's Spear.
Stories say that no battle was ever won against it, or he
who wielded it.

Out of Findias was brought the Sword of
Nuadhu. When it was drawn from its deadly sheath, no foe
could escape from its irrisitable power.

Out of Murias was brought Dagdha's
Cauldron. No company ever went from it unthankful.

The Tuatha Dé Danann were finally defeated
by the Milesians, the first human ancestors of the Irish
people, led by the Sons of Mil. The Lebor Gabála gives
no further details of the Tuatha Dé Danann except to say
that an agreement was reached, between the Milesians and
the Tuatha Dé Danann. The account states that the gaelic
people were given the upper realms of the earth in which
to dwell, and the Tuatha Dé Danann were banished to the
ancient burrows and cairns underground - the Fairy Forts
and Hills, otherwise known as Sídhe. Here, they have gradualy
dwindled in the imagination of modern celtic peoples,
becoming known at last as the faerie folk.

The Milesians were the mythical ancestors
of the Gaels. Their arrival marked the end of the Age of
the Gods and the beginning of the Age of Mankind.

At the time of the coming of the Milesians,
or sons of Mil, there were three kings and three queens
who reigned in Ireland. The kings were: MacCuill (son of
the hazel), MacCecht (son of the plough) and MacGreine
(son of the sun). The three queens were calledBanbha, Fodhla andEriu. The sons of Mil,
led by the poet and bard Amergin White Knee, won the
favour of the three queens, the triple Goddess of the
land. After this the Tuatha Dé Danann retreated to the
'hollow hills', where in folklore they are still said to
exist.